Prayers of Augustine
On Easter
The passion of Jesus gives us confidence of glory and a lesson in endurance. Is there anything which the hearts of the faithful may not promise themselves from the grace of God? It was not enough that the only Son of God should be born as man from man for them - he even died for them at the hands of men, whom he had created.
What God promises us for the future is great, but what we recall as already done for us is much greater. When Christ died for the wicked, where were they or what were they? Who can doubt that he will give the saints his life, since he has already given them his death? Why is human weakness slow to believe that we will one day live with God?
A much more incredible thing has already happened; God died for us. He gives us life in himself, which we could not have for ourselves.
Self-Knowledge
I have learnt to love you late, Beauty at once so ancient and so new! I have learnt to love you late! You were within me, and I was in the world outside myself. I searched for you outside myself and, disfigured as I was, I fell upon the lovely things of your creation. You were with me but I was not with you. The beautiful things of this world kept me from you and yet, if they had not been in you, they would have no being at all. You called me; You cried aloud to me; You broke the barrier of my deafness. I tasted you and now I hunger and thirst for you. You touched me and I am inflamed, inflamed with love of your peace.
Confessions X, 27
Gratitude
I thank you, O Lord, my joy and my glory, my hope and my God. I thank you for your gifts to me. Keep them unharmed for me; they will be the making of me and I shall be with you for your being is your life.
Confessions I, 20
Seeking Happiness
O God, my Father, I am seeking you, not making statements about you. Help me and guide me. But how do I seek you, O Lord? For when I seek you, my God, it is happiness that I seek. Therefore, let me seek you that my soul may live; as my body lives by my soul, my soul lives by you.
Confessions XI, 17
A Prayer for Peace
Lord our God, all that we have you have given us. Give us peace, the peace of tranquillity, the peace of your Sabbath rest, the peace without sunset. For this most beautiful order of things so excellent will complete its course and pass away; it will have its sunset as it had its dawn. But your Sabbath knows no evening or sunset because you have sanctified it to last forever. May we too share in your Sabbath rest of unending life.
Confessions XIII, 35
Thanks be to God
I thank you, O Lord,
my joy and my glory,
my hope and my God.
I thank you for your gifts to me.
Keep them unharmed for me:
they will be the making of me,
and I shall be with you
for my being is your gift.
Amen.
Confessions I, 20, 31
Quoting Augustine
Have we sinned? Let us correct ourselves! The way has not yet ended; the day is not over. For human and tolerable sins, God has established in the Church a time of mercy for distributing a daily medicine. It occurs at Mass when we say:
"Forgive us our trespasses ..." By these words, therefore, with a face washed clean we approach the table to receive Christ's Body and Blood.
From a Christmas Sermon
The maker of man, he was made man, so that the director of the stars might be a babe at the breast, that bread may be hungry, and the fountain thirsty; that the light might sleep, and the way be weary from a journey; that the truth might be accused by false witnesses, and the judge of the living and the dead be judged by a mortal judge; that justice might be convicted by the unjust, and discipline be scourged with whips hung up on a tree; that strength might grow weak, eternal health be wounded, life die.
From a Christmas Sermon
Because Christ is truth and peace and justice, conceive him in faith, give birth to him in works, so that what Mary's womb did for the flesh of Jesus Christ, your hearts may do for Christ's law. How, I mean to say, can you have no part in Mary's child bearing, when you are members of Christ? Mary gave birth to your head, the Church to all of you, because she too is both mother and virgin; mother in her womb of charity, virgin in the integrity of her faith and piety. She gives birth to whole peoples, but they are members of one person, whose body and wife she is. In this respect too she resembles the virgin mother, because in all that multitude she is mother of unity.
Many Sermons Given by Augustine Ended with:
Turned toward the Lord our God,
the Father almighty,
with undivided heart,
let us pour out fervent thanks before him,
as much as our frailty allows;
let us ask him to be willing,
in his exceptional kindness,
to hear our prayers:
may he, in his power,
drive evil from our thoughts and actions,
enliven faith within us,
guide our reflection,
give us spiritual insight
and bring us to the fullness of joy.
The passion of Jesus gives us confidence of glory and a lesson in endurance. Is there anything which the hearts of the faithful may not promise themselves from the grace of God? It was not enough that the only Son of God should be born as man from man for them - he even died for them at the hands of men, whom he had created.
What God promises us for the future is great, but what we recall as already done for us is much greater. When Christ died for the wicked, where were they or what were they? Who can doubt that he will give the saints his life, since he has already given them his death? Why is human weakness slow to believe that we will one day live with God?
A much more incredible thing has already happened; God died for us. He gives us life in himself, which we could not have for ourselves.
Self-Knowledge
I have learnt to love you late, Beauty at once so ancient and so new! I have learnt to love you late! You were within me, and I was in the world outside myself. I searched for you outside myself and, disfigured as I was, I fell upon the lovely things of your creation. You were with me but I was not with you. The beautiful things of this world kept me from you and yet, if they had not been in you, they would have no being at all. You called me; You cried aloud to me; You broke the barrier of my deafness. I tasted you and now I hunger and thirst for you. You touched me and I am inflamed, inflamed with love of your peace.
Confessions X, 27
Gratitude
I thank you, O Lord, my joy and my glory, my hope and my God. I thank you for your gifts to me. Keep them unharmed for me; they will be the making of me and I shall be with you for your being is your life.
Confessions I, 20
Seeking Happiness
O God, my Father, I am seeking you, not making statements about you. Help me and guide me. But how do I seek you, O Lord? For when I seek you, my God, it is happiness that I seek. Therefore, let me seek you that my soul may live; as my body lives by my soul, my soul lives by you.
Confessions XI, 17
A Prayer for Peace
Lord our God, all that we have you have given us. Give us peace, the peace of tranquillity, the peace of your Sabbath rest, the peace without sunset. For this most beautiful order of things so excellent will complete its course and pass away; it will have its sunset as it had its dawn. But your Sabbath knows no evening or sunset because you have sanctified it to last forever. May we too share in your Sabbath rest of unending life.
Confessions XIII, 35
Thanks be to God
I thank you, O Lord,
my joy and my glory,
my hope and my God.
I thank you for your gifts to me.
Keep them unharmed for me:
they will be the making of me,
and I shall be with you
for my being is your gift.
Amen.
Confessions I, 20, 31
Quoting Augustine
Have we sinned? Let us correct ourselves! The way has not yet ended; the day is not over. For human and tolerable sins, God has established in the Church a time of mercy for distributing a daily medicine. It occurs at Mass when we say:
"Forgive us our trespasses ..." By these words, therefore, with a face washed clean we approach the table to receive Christ's Body and Blood.
From a Christmas Sermon
The maker of man, he was made man, so that the director of the stars might be a babe at the breast, that bread may be hungry, and the fountain thirsty; that the light might sleep, and the way be weary from a journey; that the truth might be accused by false witnesses, and the judge of the living and the dead be judged by a mortal judge; that justice might be convicted by the unjust, and discipline be scourged with whips hung up on a tree; that strength might grow weak, eternal health be wounded, life die.
From a Christmas Sermon
Because Christ is truth and peace and justice, conceive him in faith, give birth to him in works, so that what Mary's womb did for the flesh of Jesus Christ, your hearts may do for Christ's law. How, I mean to say, can you have no part in Mary's child bearing, when you are members of Christ? Mary gave birth to your head, the Church to all of you, because she too is both mother and virgin; mother in her womb of charity, virgin in the integrity of her faith and piety. She gives birth to whole peoples, but they are members of one person, whose body and wife she is. In this respect too she resembles the virgin mother, because in all that multitude she is mother of unity.
Many Sermons Given by Augustine Ended with:
Turned toward the Lord our God,
the Father almighty,
with undivided heart,
let us pour out fervent thanks before him,
as much as our frailty allows;
let us ask him to be willing,
in his exceptional kindness,
to hear our prayers:
may he, in his power,
drive evil from our thoughts and actions,
enliven faith within us,
guide our reflection,
give us spiritual insight
and bring us to the fullness of joy.
CONTACT US:St James Catholic Parish
165 Old Cleveland Road Coorparoo QLD 4151 PO Box 1051, Coorparoo DC 4151 Phone: 07 3397 1671 or 07 3847 3696 Email: osastjames@bne.catholic.net.au |
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